Beginning in fall 2012, some graduate programs will be requiring (or highly recommending) applicants to have three (3) Personal Potential Index (PPI) evaluations as part of their application requirements for admission.

The list of the Saint Louis University graduate degree programs requiring (or recommending) PPI evaluations is located at the right.

The PPI requires you to identify up to five individuals who will complete a survey about your qualifications to do graduate work. You can list your letter writers and/or individuals with whom you have worked or who know you through volunteer activities.

The PPI is not a reference of your cognitive skills nor classroom record. It is a reference about non-cognitive skills such as decision-making, teamwork, or ability to deal with disappointment that have been found to have an impact on success in graduate programs. Do not use the same references as you have for your reference letters which serve a different purpose unless those references can also comment on the non-cognitive skills. Employers, individuals who supervised internships or community service, or anyone who can speak to the skills covered by the PPI are the best references.

The PPI can be found at www.ets.org/ppi/. ETS outlines how to applicants create a PPI account here and they outline all of the steps.

FAQsAre PPIs similar to Letters of Recommendation?The PPI is a survey completed through ETS and their web site while Letters of Recommendations are just that -- letters -- from faculty, mentors or others who have helped guide you in your education.

Is there a cost to me for PPI evaluations?

From the ETS/PPI FAQ web page: "If you registered for the GRE General Test on or after May 1, 2009, or you register to take the GRE revised General Test, you can send up to four ETS PPI Evaluation Reports free as part of your test fee. Additional reports can be sent for $20 each. If you registered for the GRE General Test before May 1, 2009, or are not taking the GRE revised General Test, you can order ETS PPI Evaluation Reports at a cost of $20 per report."